Rail clamp



D. RICH RAIIL CLAMP March 14, 1944.

Filed March 50, 1942 INVENTOR: wow/L45 591 256 1 ATTOR/VA'YS Patented Mar. 14, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' 2344363, RAIL oLAMr na e a1in. e;L ;w1s-; 1 1 Application March'30, 1942, seriaiNn; aas'is se smic. 01. 254 -43) 2 This invention relates to tie-spacing devices, and more particularly-to an improvement on the device disclosed in my prior Patent No. 2,188,819, issued JanuaryBO, 1940.

It is an object of the inventionto provide a rail clamp for securing the tie-spacing device to the head of ara'il which is readily adjustable to secure a closer and tighter fit between the clamp and the rail head.

A further object of the invention resides in providing an adjustable rail clamp which is simple and durable in construction, reliable and emcient in operation, and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the tie-spacing device,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the rail clamp,

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the rail clamp,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 2,

Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 are fragmentary sectional views of the various sizes of shims employed with the rail clamp,

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing a modified form of adjustable shim for the rail clamp, and

Fig. 10 is a cross section taken on line |-l0 of Fig. 9.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the tie-spacer includes an open rectangular frame having a rock lever B pivotally mounted therein by a pivot bolt 7. The upper end of the rock lever extends above the frame and terminates in a socket 8 adapted to receive an operating bar 9. The lower end of the rock lever is bifurcated, as at Ill, and extends below the frame to receive one end of a tie-engaging member II which is pivotally secured between the furcations by a pivot bolt 12. The member H adjacent its opposite end is provided with oppositely extending lugs l3 and I4 formed along its upper and lower edges, adapted to engage the side of the tie to be moved.

The foregoing construction is common to the device disclosed in my prior patent, and the present invention relates only to the rail clampmg menberfor securing theframe 5 to the side ofa rail head, as shown iii-Fig. 1. The rail clamp includes a laterally" extending arm l5 connected to one side of the frame 5'by spaced webs l6 cast integral with the'frame and arm. The under side of the arm 15 isrecess'ed as at IT to form inner and outer jaws l1 and I8 adapted to en-. gage opposite sides of the head [8 of a rail Hi. The outer jaw at its lower end has an inwardly projecting lip 20 adapted to engage beneath the under side of the rail head, and in order to facilitate the placing of the jaw over the rail head the inner side of the outer jaw is provided with a notch 2| above the lip which permits the clamp to be readily engaged over the rail head, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4. The inner jaw is provided with a recess 22 to receive the shims 23 which are of varying sizes, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8. The lower end of the shim is provided with a projecting lip 24 which engages beneath the under side of the rail head, and an opening 25 through the center of the shim is adapted to aline with the aperture 26 through the inner jaw to receive a bolt 27 for securing the shim in fixed engagement with the recess 22. Thus it is seen the shims are readily interchangeable so that the space between the laws may be readily adjusted to fit rail heads of various widths.

In Figs. 9 and 10 a slightly modified form of adjustable rail clamp is shown wherein the inner end 28 of the arm I5 is disposed at an angle of approximately 20 to the head of the rail. The inner jaw 29 of the clamp is formed integral with the under side of the inner end 28 of the arm I5 and has an elongated socket 311 formed in its face adapted to slidably receive a shim block 3| having a central screw-threaded bore 32 in its inner end. An adjusting bolt 33 extends through an aperture 34 through the inner jaw 29 and threadedly engages the bore 32 of the shim block. A retaining washer 35 is mounted on the bolt 33 beneath its head which fits within the circumferential groove 36 in the bolt, and the washer is permanently afilxed to the boss 31 formed integral with the outer face of the inner jaw. The rail-engaging face of the shim block is provided with a projecting lip 38 along its lower edge, and depending from the bottom side of the block is a stop flange 39 which limits the inward movement of the shim block.

When it is desired to adjust the shim block 3| the bolt 33 is turned to move the block towards or from the rail head. By reason of the movement of the shim block in an upward direction, the lip 38 on the engaging face of the block will directly contact the under side of the rail head, and thus establish a more firm connection between the rail clamp and rail head.

In practice it is found the adjustable rail clamp which has been provided for attaching the tiespacer to the rail head permits the device to be more firmly and rigidly secured to rail heads of various sizes, thus greatly facilitating the utilization of the tie-spacer under all conditions. In the form of my invention more clearly shown in Fig. 4, shim blocks of varying sizes are selectively employed with the rail clamp and are readily interchangeable to adjust the clamp to fit rail heads 1 r of different sizes. shown in Fig. 9, a single adjustable shim block In the form of my invention 1 is substituted for the series of blocks used in the other form, and inasmuch as the shim block may be adjusted after the clamp is appliedvto' the rail .1

head it enables the clamp to be more firmly secured in position.

It is to be understood that the form of my in-' vention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that certain changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

2,344,388 i g v 1. A rail clamp comprising an arm having inher and outer jaws for engaging opposite sides of a rail head, the lower edge of the outer jaw having an inwardly projecting lip for engaging the underside of the rail head, a removable shim block secured in a recess formed in the inner jaw having a projecting lip at its lower edge adapted to engage the underside of the rail head, the lip of the outer jaw and the lip of the shim block being normally spaced a distance less than the width of the rail head, said outer jaw having a V-notch above the lip to receive the lower edge of the rail head when applying the clamp to the rail head.

" "'2. A rail clamp comprising an arm having inher and outer jaws for engaging opposite sides of arail head, a socket formed in the inner jaw disposed at a downwardly inclined angle to the side [of-the rail head, a shim block slidably mounted in said socket having a projecting lip at its outer end adapted to engage the underside of the rail head, a bolt extending through the inner jaw having threaded engagement with said shim block for :moving the same towards and from the rail I head, and an inwardly projecting lip integral with the outer jaw adapted to engage the underside of the rail head.

r DAVID RICH. 

